Originally Posted by satchip (Post 785738)

A report from the front sts. I finally got a trip Friday, the result of a YS and a 2am phone call, to Rome. We were the last 767 in before the change to the big bus. We deadheaded home on the 330.

First of all nice aeroplane (notice the European spelling). The BC seats take some getting used to with the 2001 Space Odyssey look. Screens are bigger on the IFE, that's a plus. Power drained my laptop battery though. Seems it wont operate a laptop just charge one that's off. Up front the cockpit is way cool. HUGE and roomy and that rest closet is the bomb.

As for the crews, much to my surprise they were very nice and didn't have two heads and horns!:D Hey Tsquare, did you know that guy who brought us popcorn was a YANKEE!?! We chatted for a long time exchanging thoughts and tips. It was a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

For future 330 crews who fly from JFK to points beyond, in the briefing room below the computers are all the forms and the envelopes you guys are used to receiving in a packet. We print our own fp and turb/wind charts. The plotting charts are there too. Rome didn't hand out the charts so I gave them mine from the way over.

FAs were really nice too. They said they couldn't wait till the service change to the Delta way. Only 3 up front vs the 4 Southside uses. That galley in the back though, just like the movies!

The comments from both sides was "everyone was so nice". Won't it be a great day when we don't have to say that as an expression of surprise and just take it for granted because we are all the same team.

The gate agents at Rome don't like the 330 though. According to them pax and bags alone put them close to MTOW and they can't load up cargo. I think pax like it though. Will the BC seats be changed to the Delta seats or lie flat ones?

330 guys, enjoy Rome. It's a great layover. The new hotel is a little nicer but a little more out of the way. Free internet though but bring a cable.
Just one more small step towards total consciousness and wedded bliss!

Originally Posted by satchip (Post 785807)

Ok, so Compass 175s are permitted to be 89,000. Good, didn't want to have to start a poop storm.

Originally Posted by keenster (Post 785805)

Hey that French piece of crap,fly by wire, break up in the middle of the air, phi phi jet. Would not be caught dead in one. If it ain't boeing I ain't going. You know how many times I have heard: "Well we were just flying along and all of a sudden the damn thing did ********!!!!!!!!!!!! Don't know what happened and still don't.:eek:

Originally Posted by johnso29 (Post 785582)

No way have you come off as the grouchy old Captain, and I hope I haven't come off as the young punk, self entitlement FO. :p I'm just happy that someone as senior as you is ready to tell management to shove it when they ask for more scope relief. :)

Originally Posted by acl65pilot (Post 785598)

Waves, yes ASA had the BAE-146. I was there. I recall they had four of them and the white one you refer to was a loaner while the others went though their heavy checks. I beleive these checks were done in BNA but that was in early 1997 and cannot recall with 100% certainty of that.

Again, yes it was threatened to the Delta pilots that ASA would get the 737-200's back in that general time frame as well due to the fact that there was no scope protections in the DAL PWA. That was averted and as history as our lesson we get to today.

I agree, scope is never 100% nailed down. With the termination of the pension, we no longer need to protect the FAE figure. This provided a gain for the company under 1113C, it also gave this group the freedom it never had. We want great pay rates in our most senior widebody jets, but no longer is it tied to our retirement. That takes a bullet or two out of the gun pointed at us. People can now walk away as all retirement money is theirs the day it is deposited. IMO it also allows us to stare at the business end of a gun a lot longer before we flinch. That is huge.

What I also see as huge is that once again IMO, this group really seems to be steadfast on no more scope concessions. The MEC LEC members have mostly reaffirmed a commitment that scope is a major priority. In fact the D-ALPA Mission statement was changed this week as well. Of the reps that I know, I am very confident that no scope concessions will ever come to membership vote. Add to this fact, the Negotiation Committee is three first officers, and one very seasoned and industry respected Captain. We have a really good mix.

In closing, you are right, never take your eye away from the scope issue. Not just Small jets, but medium sized jets (AS Code), and Large Jets (Future JV's). All of it will effect our jobs, and of course at some point in the future we will be asked. I truly beleive that this group is quickly becoming one, and with one or two events we will meld in to a rock hard solidified group. Scope can do that real quick.

Originally Posted by Waves (Post 785817)

Johnso29:

3). I think you are correct about the shedding of regional partners. I too see a reverse trend. Just as an example of how management operated in the past: A few contracts ago, management wanted to buy a bunch of RJ’s for one of our connection carriers (ASA). We told them instead of buying them for those guys, we want to fly them. We were told that they couldn’t do it because the pilot hourly rate cost too much. Our rate was actually several dollars lower than theirs, but they ignored our request anyway. I think RA at least listens to us which is a good thing.
4). The white aircraft were fairly short lived. There is also a reply with some expanding info here somewhere. Here is another possible future problem which in the past would have been inevitable. Maybe with RA, it won’t happen. DAL has purchased several 88 seat aircraft but has blocked out the extra seats due to scope. I do not know how many more are going to be purchased. Past management during the next contract negotiations would have been crying that these aircraft are capable of carrying 88 to 90 pax and carrying only 76 pax is very inefficient. Since we already have them on the property, we need the scope clause changed, and in return we will give you $.10 per hour.
5). As I recall, the cap on the DCI is now based on main line flight hours, and not a real cap per say. The reason the 50 seaters are not being replaced one for one is because of the downturn in the economy and reduced loads. If the economy were booming, I think we would be seeing a different picture there as well.
6). No you have not come across as a young punk, self entitlement FO at all. I enjoy your posts, and look forward to the conversation. I’m not all that senior, just old. Ha

Originally Posted by Waves (Post 785817)

Johnso29: 1). I’ve heard good things as well regarding the N&S getting along.
2). I hate to give credit to RA and the boys, but so far he is the best CEO we have had since Dave Garret.
3). I think you are correct about the shedding of regional partners. I too see a reverse trend. Just as an example of how management operated in the past: A few contracts ago, management wanted to buy a bunch of RJ’s for one of our connection carriers (ASA). We told them instead of buying them for those guys, we want to fly them. We were told that they couldn’t do it because the pilot hourly rate cost too much. Our rate was actually several dollars lower than theirs, but they ignored our request anyway. I think RA at least listens to us which is a good thing.
4). The white aircraft were fairly short lived. There is also a reply with some expanding info here somewhere. Here is another possible future problem which in the past would have been inevitable. Maybe with RA, it won’t happen. DAL has purchased several 88 seat aircraft but has blocked out the extra seats due to scope. I do not know how many more are going to be purchased. Past management during the next contract negotiations would have been crying that these aircraft are capable of carrying 88 to 90 pax and carrying only 76 pax is very inefficient. Since we already have them on the property, we need the scope clause changed, and in return we will give you $.10 per hour.
5). As I recall, the cap on the DCI is now based on main line flight hours, and not a real cap per say. The reason the 50 seaters are not being replaced one for one is because of the downturn in the economy and reduced loads. If the economy were booming, I think we would be seeing a different picture there as well.
6). No you have not come across as a young punk, self entitlement FO at all. I enjoy your posts, and look forward to the conversation. I’m not all that senior, just old. Ha
7). Yes, I think we agree that the N&S both have had enough concessions to last a lifetime. At the risk of sounding like a complete militant, I’ve only voted yes to one proposal which ALPA has put in front of us, and I am sorry to say even this was a mistake. When we had the early retirement wave, we were short on 777 Captains. The company asked if the retired guys could fly them until we got enough guys trained, otherwise they would be forced to park the 777’s. Before it happened, they knew there would be lots of guys bailing out, but they trained no one in preparation for it. A year went by with the PRP guys flying the 777’s. Instead of ramping up 777 training, they trained less than a handful of guys. So ALPA granted them a huge extension without a vote. The moral of that story is: Be careful what you vote for, you may not like the results. Ha

Originally Posted by reddog25 (Post 785516)

:cool:You know...that's what many DAL-N folks think DAL-S folks act like. I guess it's all preception (not truth) I know of a few F/Os and CA who think that DAL-S have animosity towards them and think that DAL-N pilots should be grateful that the widget came along.

Bottom line. Every (yes every) DAL-S guy that I've had the opportunity to meet and share a few beers with have been nothing but fellow pilots with similar viewpoints on flying and fun! Brought up in different cultures? You bet. Ours has been more confrontational with management and as such we seem to view anything that management does or say with doubt. (T-SQUARE CAN VERIFY THIS:D)

Originally Posted by reddog25 (Post 785516)

And in the spirt of cooperation may I point out that there are no longer any NWA guys only DAL guys. If it is necessary to point out differences in culture perhaps DAL-N / DAL-S may be more appropriate.

Red Dog (Love Coke, Grits, Waffle House and learning to appreciate NASCAR)

Originally Posted by keenster (Post 785805)

Hey that French piece of crap,fly by wire, break up in the middle of the air, phi phi jet. Would not be caught dead in one. If it ain't boeing I ain't going. You know how many times I have heard: "Well we were just flying along and all of a sudden the damn thing did ********!!!!!!!!!!!! Don't know what happened and still don't.:eek:

And half of your sims are spent on don't do this or holy *******!!!!!!!!!!!! Most of those guys flying the 330 are a little strange????????